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Port Meadow above Oxford |
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Other Thames Path News
There have been proposals to install a foot and cycle bridge on the railway bridge between Shiplake and Wargrave. This would open up accommodation options in Wargrave to Thames Path walkers. It wouldn’t however provide an alternative to the flooding in Shiplake as there’s no way to get to Wargrave station, a private estate preventing access from the footpaths on the right bank. Of course, if you want to get to Wargrave from Shiplake you can always catch the train!
The YHA at Streatley is for sale. Yes, a 48 bed youth hostel on both the Thames Path and The Ridgeway can be yours for £850,000. And the Roebuck, a former hotel in Tilehurst which the Thames Path passes before dropping down from the A329 to the river, has had a planning application to turn it into apartments refused. It’s currently not operating as a hotel.
The Village Hotel has recently opened at Caversham Bridge in Reading. This follows the closure earlier this year of the Crowne Plaza. As expected, prices are in the “gold” category. The hotel is a good half mile from the train station so we won’t be using it for any itineraries that start or end in Reading. But its riverside location might be useful for those passing through.
A state of the art set of film studios is coming to Marlow despite local objections. The final decision was taken by the Secretary of State who overruled local council objections. It will be situated in a former quarry and landfill site although there were concerns about disturbance to the local ecosystem. If walking in Marlow you will no doubt see the placards.
We had a bit of a day out around Canary Wharf one Saturday last month including lunch at The Grapes in Limehouse which the Thames Path passes. The pub is very small and looks out over the Thames. The Shepherds Pie was delicious! The pub is partly owned by actor Sir Ian McKellan. As the weather was unvafourable we stopped by at the Museum of London Docklands – well worth a visit. It forms part of the Museum of London which is currently closed as it will re-open towards the end of 2026 in a new venue in central London.
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The Grapes, Narrow Street, Limehouse |
We were pleased to attend the grand unveiling of the Mouteira at the start of the St James’ Way in Reading. The Mouteira is a gift from the Galician authorities in Spain. The ceremony was attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, the Mayor of Reading, representatives from the Confraternity of St James, and various dignitaries from Spain. It helped to underline the credentials of the St James Way as being an accredited Camino.
Kennet and Avon Canal Walk
We took some time out to visit the Nature Discovery Centre in Thatcham, a ten minute walk from Widmead Lock on Day 2 of the walk from Aldermaston to Newbury. Here the canal passes the Thatcham Reedbeds, one of the largest inland reedbeds in southern England and a haven for birdlife, dragonflies and damselflies.
The Discovery Centre, run by Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, sits across a lake where there is, again, plenty of bird life. It makes a good place for a meal, drink or shelter in case of rain.
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Inside the Thatcham Reedbeds |
Ridgeway News
A project is underway to introduce local native wild flowers to 86 hectares of grassland above Streatley. The Rectory Farm site is visible from the Ridgeway National Trail. The project is managed and funded by Mend the Gap who is “enhancing the areas of the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs National Landscapes that have been negatively impacted by the electrification of the Great Western Railway mainline”. It follows a vigorous campaign objecting to the gantries supporting the overhead lines. Rectory Road is the lane that leads down to Streatley from The Ridgeway.
And a reminder that some parts of The Ridgeway that are designated as a byway are off limits to motor vehicles during the winter months. Vehicles are sometimes used for hare coursing which is, of course, illegal. Walkers are urged to call the police if they see any evidence of a crime being committed.
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The Ridgeway byway is restricted in order to prevent erosion of the track during wet weather |
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